The Tragedy of Julius Caesar/Act II
ACT II. SCENE I. Rome. BRUTUS'S orchard. Brutus. BRUTUS. :What, Lucius, ho!— :I cannot, by the progress of the stars, :Give guess how near to day.—Lucius, I say!— :I would it were my fault to sleep so soundly.— :When, Lucius, when! Awake, I say! What, Lucius! Lucius. LUCIUS. :Call'd you, my lord? BRUTUS. :Get me a taper in my study, Lucius: :When it is lighted, come and call me here. LUCIUS. :I will, my lord. Exit. BRUTUS. :It must be by his death: and, for my part, :I know no personal cause to spurn at him, :But for the general. He would be crown'd: :How that might change his nature, there's the question: :It is the bright day that brings forth the adder; :And that craves wary walking. Crown him?—that: :And then, I grant, we put a sting in him, :That at his will he may do danger with. :Th' abuse of greatness is, when it disjoins :Remorse from power; and, to speak truth of Caesar, :I have not known when his affections sway'd :More than his reason. But 'tis a common proof, :That lowliness is young ambition's ladder, :Whereto the climber-upward turns his face; :But, when he once attains the upmost round, :He then unto the ladder turns his back, :Looks in the clouds, scorning the base degrees :By which he did ascend: so Caesar may; :Then, lest he may, prevent. And, since the quarrel :Will bear no color for the thing he is, :Fashion it thus,—that what he is, augmented, :Would run to these and these extremities: :And therefore think him as a serpent's egg :Which hatch'd, would, as his kind grow mischievous; :And kill him in the shell. Lucius. LUCIUS. :The taper burneth in your closet, sir. :Searching the window for a flint I found :This paper thus seal'd up, and I am sure :It did not lie there when I went to bed. BRUTUS. :Get you to bed again; it is not day. :Is not tomorrow, boy, the Ides of March? LUCIUS. :I know not, sir. BRUTUS. :Look in the calendar, and bring me word. LUCIUS. :I will, sir. Exit. BRUTUS. :The exhalations, whizzing in the air :Give so much light that I may read by them.— the letter and reads. :"Brutus, thou sleep'st: awake and see thyself. :Shall Rome, &c. Speak, strike, redress—! :Brutus, thou sleep'st: awake!—" :Such instigations have been often dropp'd :Where I have took them up. :"Shall Rome, & c." Thus must I piece it out: :Shall Rome stand under one man's awe? What, Rome? :My ancestors did from the streets of Rome :The Tarquin drive, when he was call'd a king.— :"Speak, strike, redress!"—Am I entreated, then, :To speak and strike? O Rome, I make thee promise, :If the redress will follow, thou receivest :Thy full petition at the hand of Brutus! Lucius. LUCIUS. :Sir, March is wasted fifteen days. within. BRUTUS. :'Tis good. Go to the gate, somebody knocks.— Lucius. :Since Cassius first did whet me against Caesar :I have not slept. :Between the acting of a dreadful thing :And the first motion, all the interim is :Like a phantasma or a hideous dream: :The genius and the mortal instruments :Are then in council; and the state of man, :Like to a little kingdom, suffers then :The nature of an insurrection. Lucius. LUCIUS. :Sir, 'tis your brother Cassius at the door, :Who doth desire to see you. BRUTUS. :Is he alone? LUCIUS. :No, sir, there are more with him. BRUTUS. :Do you know them? LUCIUS. :No, sir, their hats are pluck'd about their ears, :And half their faces buried in their cloaks, :That by no means I may discover them :By any mark of favor. BRUTUS. :Let 'em enter.— Lucius. :They are the faction.—O conspiracy, :Shamest thou to show thy dangerous brow by night, :When evils are most free? O, then, by day :Where wilt thou find a cavern dark enough :To mask thy monstrous visage? Seek none, conspiracy; :Hide it in smiles and affability: :For if thou pass, thy native semblance on, :Not Erebus itself were dim enough :To hide thee from prevention. Cassius, Casca, Decius, Cinna, Metellus Cimber, and Trebonius. CASSIUS. :I think we are too bold upon your rest: :Good morrow, Brutus; do we trouble you? BRUTUS. :I have been up this hour, awake all night. :Know I these men that come along with you? CASSIUS. :Yes, every man of them; and no man here :But honors you; and every one doth wish :You had but that opinion of yourself :Which every noble Roman bears of you. :This is Trebonius. BRUTUS. :He is welcome hither. CASSIUS. :This Decius Brutus. BRUTUS. :He is welcome too. CASSIUS. :This, Casca; this, Cinna; and this, Metellus Cimber. BRUTUS. :They are all welcome.— :What watchful cares do interpose themselves :Betwixt your eyes and night? CASSIUS. :Shall I entreat a word? [BRUTUS and CASSIUS whisper apart. DECIUS. :Here lies the east: doth not the day break here? CASCA. :No. CINNA. :O, pardon, sir, it doth, and yon grey lines :That fret the clouds are messengers of day. CASCA. :You shall confess that you are both deceived. :Here, as I point my sword, the Sun arises; :Which is a great way growing on the South, :Weighing the youthful season of the year. :Some two months hence, up higher toward the North :He first presents his fire; and the high East :Stands, as the Capitol, directly here. BRUTUS. :Give me your hands all over, one by one. CASSIUS. :And let us swear our resolution. BRUTUS. :No, not an oath: if not the face of men, :The sufferance of our souls, the time's abuse— :If these be motives weak, break off betimes, :And every man hence to his idle bed; :So let high-sighted tyranny range on, :Till each man drop by lottery. But if these, :As I am sure they do, bear fire enough :To kindle cowards, and to steel with valour :The melting spirits of women; then, countrymen, :What need we any spur but our own cause :To prick us to redress? what other bond :Than secret Romans, that have spoke the word, :And will not palter? and what other oath :Than honesty to honesty engaged, :That this shall be, or we will fall for it? :Swear priests, and cowards, and men cautelous, :Old feeble carrions, and such suffering souls :That welcome wrongs; unto bad causes swear :Such creatures as men doubt: but do not stain :The even virtue of our enterprise, :Nor th' insuppressive mettle of our spirits, :To think that or our cause or our performance :Did need an oath; when every drop of blood :That every Roman bears, and nobly bears, :Is guilty of a several bastardy, :If he do break the smallest particle :Of any promise that hath pass'd from him. CASSIUS. :But what of Cicero? Shall we sound him? :I think he will stand very strong with us. CASCA. :Let us not leave him out. CINNA. :No, by no means. METELLUS. :O, let us have him! for his silver hairs :Will purchase us a good opinion, :And buy men's voices to commend our deeds: :It shall be said, his judgment ruled our hands; :Our youths and wildness shall no whit appear, :But all be buried in his gravity. BRUTUS. :O, name him not! let us not break with him; :For he will never follow any thing :That other men begin. CASSIUS. :Then leave him out. CASCA. :Indeed, he is not fit. DECIUS. :Shall no man else be touch'd but only Caesar? CASSIUS. :Decius, well urged.—I think it is not meet, :Mark Antony, so well beloved of Caesar, :Should outlive Caesar: we shall find of him :A shrewd contriver; and you know his means, :If he improve them, may well stretch so far :As to annoy us all: which to prevent, :Let Antony and Caesar fall together. BRUTUS. :Our course will seem too bloody, Caius Cassius, :To cut the head off, and then hack the limbs, :Like wrath in death, and envy afterwards; :For Antony is but a limb of Caesar. :Let us be sacrificers, but not butchers, Caius. :We all stand up against the spirit of Caesar; :And in the spirit of men there is no blood: :O, that we then could come by Caesar's spirit, :And not dismember Caesar! But, alas, :Caesar must bleed for it! And, gentle friends, :Let's kill him boldly, but not wrathfully; :Let's carve him as a dish fit for the gods, :Not hew him as a carcass fit for hounds; :And let our hearts, as subtle masters do, :Stir up their servants to an act of rage, :And after seem to chide 'em. This shall mark :Our purpose necessary, and not envious; :Which so appearing to the common eyes, :We shall be call'd purgers, not murderers. :And for Mark Antony, think not of him; :For he can do no more than Caesar's arm :When Caesar's head is off. CASSIUS. :Yet I do fear him; :For in th' ingrafted love he bears to Caesar— BRUTUS. :Alas, good Cassius, do not think of him: :If he love Caesar, all that he can do :Is to himself,—take thought and die for Caesar. :And that were much he should; for he is given :To sports, to wildness, and much company. TREBONIUS. :There is no fear in him; let him not die; :For he will live, and laugh at this hereafter. strikes. BRUTUS. :Peace! count the clock. CASSIUS. :The clock hath stricken three. TREBONIUS. :'Tis time to part. CASSIUS. :But it is doubtful yet :Whether Caesar will come forth today or no; :For he is superstitious grown of late, :Quite from the main opinion he held once :Of fantasy, of dreams, and ceremonies. :It may be these apparent prodigies, :The unaccustom'd terror of this night, :And the persuasion of his augurers :May hold him from the Capitol to-day. DECIUS. :Never fear that: if he be so resolved, :I can o'ersway him, for he loves to hear :That unicorns may be betray'd with trees, :And bears with glasses, elephants with holes, :Lions with toils, and men with flatterers: :But when I tell him he hates flatterers, :He says he does, being then most flattered. :Let me work; :For I can give his humor the true bent, :And I will bring him to the Capitol. CASSIUS. :Nay, we will all of us be there to fetch him. BRUTUS. :By the eighth hour: is that the uttermost? CINNA. :Be that the uttermost; and fail not then. METELLUS. :Caius Ligarius doth bear Caesar hard, :Who rated him for speaking well of Pompey: :I wonder none of you have thought of him. BRUTUS. :Now, good Metellus, go along by him: :He loves me well, and I have given him reason; :Send him but hither, and I'll fashion him. CASSIUS. :The morning comes upon 's. We'll leave you, Brutus;— :And, friends, disperse yourselves, but all remember :What you have said, and show yourselves true Romans. BRUTUS. :Good gentlemen, look fresh and merrily; :Let not our looks put on our purposes, :But bear it as our Roman actors do, :With untired spirits and formal constancy: :And so, good morrow to you every one.— all but Brutus. :Boy! Lucius!—Fast asleep? It is no matter; :Enjoy the honey-heavy dew of slumber: :Thou hast no figures nor no fantasies, :Which busy care draws in the brains of men; :Therefore thou sleep'st so sound. Portia. PORTIA. :Brutus, my lord! BRUTUS. :Portia, what mean you? wherefore rise you now? :It is not for your health thus to commit :Your weak condition to the raw-cold morning. PORTIA. :Nor for yours neither. You've ungently, Brutus, :Stole from my bed: and yesternight, at supper, :You suddenly arose, and walk'd about, :Musing and sighing, with your arms across; :And, when I ask'd you what the matter was, :You stared upon me with ungentle looks: :I urged you further; then you scratch'd your head, :And too impatiently stamp'd with your foot: :Yet I insisted, yet you answer'd not; :But, with an angry wafture of your hand, :Gave sign for me to leave you. So I did; :Fearing to strengthen that impatience :Which seem'd too much enkindled; and withal :Hoping it was but an effect of humour, :Which sometime hath his hour with every man. :It will not let you eat, nor talk, nor sleep; :And, could it work so much upon your shape :As it hath much prevail'd on your condition, :I should not know you, Brutus. Dear my lord, :Make me acquainted with your cause of grief. BRUTUS. :I am not well in health, and that is all. PORTIA. :Brutus is wise, and, were he not in health, :He would embrace the means to come by it. BRUTUS. :Why, so I do. Good Portia, go to bed. PORTIA. :Is Brutus sick? and is it physical :To walk unbraced and suck up the humours :Of the dank morning? What, is Brutus sick, :And will he steal out of his wholesome bed :To dare the vile contagion of the night, :And tempt the rheumy and unpurged air :To add unto his sickness? No, my Brutus; :You have some sick offense within your mind, :Which, by the right and virtue of my place, :I ought to know of: and, upon my knees, :I charge you, by my once commended beauty, :By all your vows of love, and that great vow :Which did incorporate and make us one, :That you unfold to me, yourself, your half, :Why you are heavy, and what men to-night :Have had resort to you; for here have been :Some six or seven, who did hide their faces :Even from darkness. BRUTUS. :Kneel not, gentle Portia. PORTIA. :I should not need, if you were gentle Brutus. :Within the bond of marriage, tell me, Brutus, :Is it excepted I should know no secrets :That appertain to you? Am I yourself :But, as it were, in sort or limitation,— :To keep with you at meals, comfort your bed, :And talk to you sometimes? Dwell I but in the suburbs :Of your good pleasure? If it be no more, :Portia is Brutus' harlot, not his wife. BRUTUS. :You are my true and honorable wife; :As dear to me as are the ruddy drops :That visit my sad heart. PORTIA. :If this were true, then should I know this secret. :I grant I am a woman; but withal :A woman that Lord Brutus took to wife: :I grant I am a woman; but withal :A woman well reputed, Cato's daughter. :Think you I am no stronger than my sex, :Being so father'd and so husbanded? :Tell me your counsels, I will not disclose 'em. :I have made strong proof of my constancy, :Giving myself a voluntary wound :Here in the thigh: can I bear that with patience :And not my husband's secrets? BRUTUS. :O ye gods, :Render me worthy of this noble wife! within. ;Hark, hark, one knocks : Portia, go in awhile; :And by and by thy bosom shall partake :The secrets of my heart: :All my engagements I will construe to thee, :All the charactery of my sad brows. :Leave me with haste. Portia. —Lucius, who's that knocks? Lucius with Ligarius. LUCIUS. :Here is a sick man that would speak with you. BRUTUS. :Caius Ligarius, that Metellus spake of.— :Boy, stand aside.—Caius Ligarius,—how? LIGARIUS. :Vouchsafe good-morrow from a feeble tongue. BRUTUS. :O, what a time have you chose out, brave Caius, :To wear a kerchief! Would you were not sick! LIGARIUS. :I am not sick, if Brutus have in hand :Any exploit worthy the name of honour. BRUTUS. :Such an exploit have I in hand, Ligarius, :Had you a healthful ear to hear of it. LIGARIUS. :By all the gods that Romans bow before, :I here discard my sickness. Soul of Rome! :Brave son, derived from honorable loins! :Thou, like an exorcist, hast conjured up :My mortified spirit. Now bid me run, :And I will strive with things impossible; :Yea, get the better of them. What's to do? BRUTUS. :A piece of work that will make sick men whole. LIGARIUS. :But are not some whole that we must make sick? BRUTUS. :That must we also. What it is, my Caius, :I shall unfold to thee, as we are going, :To whom it must be done. LIGARIUS. :Set on your foot; :And with a heart new-fired I follow you, :To do I know not what: but it sufficeth :That Brutus leads me on. BRUTUS. :Follow me then. Exeunt. SCENE II. A room in Caesar's palace. and lightning. Enter Caesar, in his nightgown. CAESAR. :Nor heaven nor earth have been at peace tonight: :Thrice hath Calpurnia in her sleep cried out, :"Help, ho! They murder Caesar!"—Who's within? a Servant. SERVANT. :My lord? CAESAR. :Go bid the priests do present sacrifice, :And bring me their opinions of success. SERVANT. :I will, my lord. Exit. Calpurnia. CALPURNIA. :What mean you, Caesar? Think you to walk forth? :You shall not stir out of your house to-day. CAESAR. :Caesar shall forth: the things that threaten me :Ne'er look but on my back; when they shall see :The face of Caesar, they are vanished. CALPURNIA. :Caesar, I never stood on ceremonies, :Yet now they fright me. There is one within, :Besides the things that we have heard and seen, :Recounts most horrid sights seen by the watch. :A lioness hath whelped in the streets; :And graves have yawn'd, and yielded up their dead; :Fierce fiery warriors fight upon the clouds, :In ranks and squadrons and right form of war, :Which drizzled blood upon the Capitol; :The noise of battle hurtled in the air, :Horses did neigh, and dying men did groan; :And ghosts did shriek and squeal about the streets. :O Caesar,these things are beyond all use, :And I do fear them! CAESAR. :What can be avoided :Whose end is purposed by the mighty gods? :Yet Caesar shall go forth; for these predictions :Are to the world in general as to Caesar. CALPURNIA. :When beggars die, there are no comets seen; :The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes. CAESAR. :Cowards die many times before their deaths; :The valiant never taste of death but once. :Of all the wonders that I yet have heard, :It seems to me most strange that men should fear; :Seeing that death, a necessary end, :Will come when it will come.— Servant. What say the augurers? SERVANT. :They would not have you to stir forth to-day. :Plucking the entrails of an offering forth, :They could not find a heart within the beast. CAESAR. :The gods do this in shame of cowardice: :Caesar should be a beast without a heart, :If he should stay at home today for fear. :No, Caesar shall not: danger knows full well :That Caesar is more dangerous than he: :We are two lions litter'd in one day, :And I the elder and more terrible; :And Caesar shall go forth. CALPURNIA. :Alas, my lord, :Your wisdom is consumed in confidence! :Do not go forth to-day: call it my fear :That keeps you in the house, and not your own. :We'll send Mark Antony to the Senate-house, :And he shall say you are not well to-day: :Let me, upon my knee, prevail in this. CAESAR. :Mark Antony shall say I am not well, :And, for thy humor, I will stay at home. Decius. :Here's Decius Brutus, he shall tell them so. DECIUS. :Caesar, all hail! Good morrow, worthy Caesar: :I come to fetch you to the Senate-house. CAESAR. :And you are come in very happy time :To bear my greeting to the Senators, :And tell them that I will not come to-day. :Cannot, is false; and that I dare not, falser: :I will not come to-day. Tell them so, Decius. CALPURNIA. :Say he is sick. CAESAR. :Shall Caesar send a lie? :Have I in conquest stretch'd mine arm so far, :To be afeard to tell grey-beards the truth?— :Decius, go tell them Caesar will not come. DECIUS. :Most mighty Caesar, let me know some cause, :Lest I be laugh'd at when I tell them so. CAESAR. :The cause is in my will; I will not come: :That is enough to satisfy the Senate. :But, for your private satisfaction, :Because I love you, I will let you know: :Calpurnia here, my wife, stays me at home: :She dreamt to-night she saw my statua, :Which, like a fountain with an hundred spouts, :Did run pure blood; and many lusty Romans :Came smiling and did bathe their hands in it: :And these does she apply for warnings and portents :And evils imminent; and on her knee :Hath begg'd that I will stay at home to-day. DECIUS. :This dream is all amiss interpreted: :It was a vision fair and fortunate. :Your statue spouting blood in many pipes, :In which so many smiling Romans bathed, :Signifies that from you great Rome shall suck :Reviving blood; and that great men shall press :For tinctures, stains, relics, and cognizance. :This by Calpurnia's dream is signified. CAESAR. :And this way have you well expounded it. DECIUS. :I have, when you have heard what I can say; :And know it now: The Senate have concluded :To give this day a crown to mighty Caesar. :If you shall send them word you will not come, :Their minds may change. Besides, it were a mock :Apt to be render'd, for someone to say :"Break up the Senate till another time, :When Caesar's wife shall meet with better dreams." :If Caesar hide himself, shall they not whisper :"Lo, Caesar is afraid"? :Pardon me, Caesar; for my dear dear love :To your proceeding bids me tell you this; :And reason to my love is liable. CAESAR. :How foolish do your fears seem now, Calpurnia! :I am ashamed I did yield to them. :Give me my robe, for I will go. Publius, Brutus, Ligarius, Metellus, Casca, Trebonius, and Cinna. :And look where Publius is come to fetch me. PUBLIUS. :Good morrow, Caesar. CAESAR. :Welcome, Publius.— :What, Brutus, are you stirr'd so early too?— :Good morrow, Casca.—Caius Ligarius, :Caesar was ne'er so much your enemy :As that same ague which hath made you lean.— :What is't o'clock? BRUTUS. :Caesar, 'tis strucken eight. CAESAR. :I thank you for your pains and courtesy. Antony. See! Antony, that revels long o'nights, :Is notwithstanding up.—Good morrow, Antony. ANTONY. :So to most noble Caesar. CAESAR. :Bid them prepare within: :I am to blame to be thus waited for.— :Now, Cinna;—now, Metellus;—what, Trebonius! :I have an hour's talk in store for you: :Remember that you call on me to-day; :Be near me, that I may remember you. TREBONIUS. :Caesar, I will. Aside. and so near will I be, :That your best friends shall wish I had been further. CAESAR. :Good friends, go in, and taste some wine with me; :And we, like friends, will straightway go together. BRUTUS. :Aside. That every like is not the same, O Caesar, :The heart of Brutus yearns to think upon! Exeunt. SCENE III. A street near the Capitol. Artemidorus, reading paper. ARTEMIDORUS. :"Caesar, beware of Brutus; take heed of Cassius; come :not near Casca; have an eye to Cinna; trust not Trebonius; mark :well Metellus Cimber; Decius Brutus loves thee not; thou hast :wrong'd Caius Ligarius. There is but one mind in all these men, :and it is bent against Caesar. If thou be'st not immortal, look :about you: security gives way to conspiracy. The mighty gods :defend thee! :Thy lover, Artemidorus." :Here will I stand till Caesar pass along, :And as a suitor will I give him this. :My heart laments that virtue cannot live :Out of the teeth of emulation.— :If thou read this, O Caesar, thou mayest live; :If not, the Fates with traitors do contrive. Exit. SCENE IV. Another part of the same street, before the house of Brutus. Portia and Lucius. PORTIA. :I pr'ythee, boy, run to the Senate-house; :Stay not to answer me, but get thee gone. :Why dost thou stay? LUCIUS. :To know my errand, madam. PORTIA. :I would have had thee there, and here again, :Ere I can tell thee what thou shouldst do there.— :Aside. O constancy, be strong upon my side! :Set a huge mountain 'tween my heart and tongue! :I have a man's mind, but a woman's might. :How hard it is for women to keep counsel!— :Art thou here yet? LUCIUS. :Madam, what should I do? :Run to the Capitol, and nothing else? :And so return to you, and nothing else? PORTIA. :Yes, bring me word, boy, if thy lord look well, :For he went sickly forth: and take good note :What Caesar doth, what suitors press to him. :Hark, boy! what noise is that? LUCIUS. :I hear none, madam. PORTIA. :Pr'ythee, listen well: :I heard a bustling rumour, like a fray, :And the wind brings it from the Capitol. LUCIUS. :Sooth, madam, I hear nothing. Soothsayer. PORTIA. :Come hither, fellow: :Which way hast thou been? Soothsayer. :At mine own house, good lady. PORTIA. :What is't o'clock? Soothsayer. :About the ninth hour, lady. PORTIA. :Is Caesar yet gone to the Capitol? Soothsayer. :Madam, not yet: I go to take my stand :To see him pass on to the Capitol. PORTIA. :Thou hast some suit to Caesar, hast thou not? Soothsayer. :That I have, lady: if it will please Caesar :To be so good to Caesar as to hear me, :I shall beseech him to befriend himself. PORTIA. :Why, know'st thou any harm's intended towards him? Soothsayer. :None that I know will be, much that I fear may chance. :Good morrow to you.—Here the street is narrow: :The throng that follows Caesar at the heels, :Of Senators, of Praetors, common suitors, :Will crowd a feeble man almost to death: :I'll get me to a place more void, and there :Speak to great Caesar as he comes along. Exit. PORTIA. :I must go in.—Aside. Ah me, how weak a thing :The heart of woman is!—O Brutus, :The heavens speed thee in thine enterprise!— :Sure, the boy heard me.—Brutus hath a suit :That Caesar will not grant.—O, I grow faint.— :Run, Lucius, and commend me to my lord; :Say I am merry: come to me again, :And bring me word what he doth say to thee. Exeunt. Category:Article Subpages